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Sunday, July 8, 2012

A man's muscles can entice when they endanger Mark, a fraternity football star, struts out of a strip club riding high. Nick leaves a gay bar feeling low and lonely. When the men meet in an alley, Mark knocks Nick to the asphalt, wielding a baseball bat to break half the bones of the body beneath him. Nick survives and discovers the body's curious truth: a broken bone will mend stronger than it was before. Feeling intrepid and invincible, Nick dares himself to enjoy sexual conquests that were mere fantasies before the assault. Satisfied only when he remembers Mark's menacing muscles, Nick begins breaking the rest of his bones to heal fully into the kind of man he always wanted - and wanted to be. Mark, instead, is destroyed, his cocky quarterback conviction defeated both on the playing field and in bed. Distracted when the snap of a hiked ball reminds him of cracking Nick's bones, Mark breaks his throwing arm. As the fracture heals, Mark's resolve to find Nick strengthens, but Mark can't decide if he should plead for forgiveness or finish him off.

Reviewer: White Daisy

This story is divided between two different characters: Nick, who lives and works in Miami, and Mark, a student and jock. Nick lives in SouthBeach of Miami and works at Design District as a interior designer.

The first time Nick and Mark's paths cross is on an unforgettable night when Mark visits Miami with his friend Rob for a vacation. As a reader, I saw, that even if Mark was really smart andintelligent, he never shown his true self to people around himself. But that could be due to his young years and college status. However, to actuallypunch the crap out of an unknown guy in front of you and then to sodomize him with a bottle—how low can you actually fall? I felt sickfor Mark as such a weak character. He is a good smart guy, whobecomes a gay basher because he acts along with Rob. Even if Mark knew, he can’t help but to act on impulse.

I liked Ron as Nick's best friend. He is an interesting character. And even more, I love how Mark starts to get crazier bit by bit. That is at least some punishment from his conscience. Mark's conscience is goading him little by little to admit his wrong act. I love this part.

Iwas appalled at Mark's choice of a friend. Even if he knows that Robisn’t a good person, he is still his friend and stands by his side, butat least only as long as his conscience allows it. His thoughts concerning Rob are clear as a day. I would say stay away from a friend such as Rob.

"Everytime he thought about Rob, he thought Rob could probably do it again, over and over, like fucking. He could beat a man down, go home, go tobed, wake up, and beat on another one. There was no remorse, no sentiment. Only code."

From that awful night we can see that both main characters, Nick and Mark, hadn’t beenthemselves since. Nick's behavior is risky and daring. In his mind, hewants to get hurt and get his bones broken again and again. I believe Nick should visit a psychiatrist. This isn’t normal behavior, and evenif he is into pain as a kink, he should join a private club or similar. The way this story ended, left me cold. I have to admit, I didn't enjoy reading this story. The end of was too open and unsolved. I'mgiving 3 stars.